Tyre tips (please)

Andrew Webster said:

I need help fitting tyres.

Most of the time there is absolutely no problem, BUT

I have a rigida Excel 700C rim onto which I just cannot fit a Hutchinson Excel (700Cx25) tyre -
well I can lever it on, but then I lever a hole in the inner tube too.

I would like advice on how to fit tyres to tight fitting rims.

One thing to do would be to replace the rim tape, if it is cloth, with a reinforced plastic one.
I did this on a Matrix rim, which before (with Velox tape) was damn near impossible to change in
the field.

Quoted message said:

Is it "common knowledge" that some nominally 700C tyres are really smaller than others?

As are some rims.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored _`\(,_ | by little
statesmen and philosophers and divines." --Ralph Waldo (_)/ (_) | Emerson

I have noted that the problem, and solution, are a combination of tyre and rim. One combination I
use is Hutchinson Carbon Comps on Mavic rims. I can remove and install this tyre from this rim
without levers.

The missus runs Carbon Comps on her Rolf wheels. She has less hand strength, but can remove and
install these without tools.

I also have Michelin tires on Weinmann rims. I need levers to put the tire on and to take it off. As
an expirement, I put the Michelin on the Mavic, and the Hutchinson on the Weinmann. Both were
difficult, but not as difficult as the Michelin on the Weinmann.

I also recall Specialized Armadillo tires being easy to change.

I guess the takeaway is to test the combination of rim and tire.

"Andrew Webster" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I need help fitting tyres.

Most of the time there is absolutely no problem, BUT

I have a rigida Excel 700C rim onto which I just cannot fit a Hutchinson Excel (700Cx25) tyre -
well I can lever it on, but then I lever a hole in the inner tube too.

I would like advice on how to fit tyres to tight fitting rims.

I would also like to know if kevlar bead tyres are (in general) easier or harder to fit (or the
same) as steel bead.

Is it "common knowledge" that some nominally 700C tyres are really smaller than others? I know
they vary as the last tyre on this rim was a tight fit, but at least it did go on in the end (a
Michelin Tracer)
- a good job as it came off again with monotonous regularity for patching.

Thanks in advance for helpful responses.

______________________________________________________________________________
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One little tip that might help you force that tire on the rim is to use a little liquid soap on the
bead. Of course, this isn't practical when doing a roadside tire change, but if you're at the house,
it's a good trick.

Bob C.

Here's something that helped me with a tough fitting tire. The rim is a concave shape. The diameter
is smaller in the center of the rim than the towards the edges. Make sure that as much of the bead
as possible is near the center of the rim while you're trying to push that last few inches of bead
over the edge.

"Andrew Webster" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I need help fitting tyres.

Most of the time there is absolutely no problem, BUT

I have a rigida Excel 700C rim onto which I just cannot fit a Hutchinson Excel (700Cx25) tyre -
well I can lever it on, but then I lever a hole in the inner tube too.

I would like advice on how to fit tyres to tight fitting rims.

I would also like to know if kevlar bead tyres are (in general) easier or harder to fit (or the
same) as steel bead.

Is it "common knowledge" that some nominally 700C tyres are really smaller than others? I know
they vary as the last tyre on this rim was a tight fit, but at least it did go on in the end (a
Michelin Tracer)
- a good job as it came off again with monotonous regularity for patching.

Thanks in advance for helpful responses.

Andrew Webster said:

I have a rigida Excel 700C rim onto which I just cannot fit a Hutchinson Excel (700Cx25) tyre -
well I can lever it on, but then I lever a hole in the inner tube too.

Although it is advisable to fit without levers when possible (by pushing with palms/thumbs; try a
rolling action), it is possible to lever the tyre on without damaging the tube. Inflate the tube a
little and aim to finish at the valve. You might find different levers with thinner ends help.

Quoted message said:

I would also like to know if kevlar bead tyres are (in general) easier or harder to fit (or the
same) as steel bead.

Depends on the model. Some kevlar beaded tyres are easy (eg. Vittoria Open Corsa 23 [actually over
24mm, btw]), some steel beads are tight.

Quoted message said:

Is it "common knowledge" that some nominally 700C tyres are really smaller than others?

I'm sure this is true.

~PB

awebster@!!try teflon wax on the bead before assembly then lube both leading bead and tool end.
pinch in all around twice and work the tire massage bead in to the opposite side of the nipple!
holding tire vertically pull up on that opposite side while holding tire down litely with the
foot.pull pul pull then place the first lever in at that pull spot and fix it to a spoke with the
tools's crook then work the bead in and around and toward that lever again! lube the tire's leading
edge bead with wax/tef and stick the tool in and gently pry the bead out. put another tool in just
ahead of the last tool fixing each to a spoke. remove the middle tool and place it under the bead
and just over the rim and pry that small section of tire bead out.repeat.repeat until the bead no
longer resists and will leave the tire rim with a finger under the bead.I write from experience.
Never assume the bead is in, make sure the bead is in. the odds are that the problem is the
mechanic's not the manufacturer.try the chain guard at "DIY" chain guard $2' here in tech!

In article <[email hidden]>, Andrew Webster

Quoted message said:

I need help fitting tyres.

Most of the time there is absolutely no problem, BUT

I have a rigida Excel 700C rim onto which I just cannot fit a Hutchinson Excel (700Cx25) tyre -
well I can lever it on, but then I lever a hole in the inner tube too.

For an install where I fid a I really need to use a tire lever I do things like:

Take 700x20 (extra small) inner tube and stretch it a little so it doesn't hug the rim. Powder the
tube with starch which also helps lube it a little against pinching. Installing it I keep the tube
inflated one pump til I get to the final segment, then deflate it and do a careful job of pushing
the tube up into the tire. Some tire levers are more tube-friendly than others, I dig in my toolbox
for the fatter plastic ones with most rounded edges when I have to force a tire on.

Quoted message said:

I would like advice on how to fit tyres to tight fitting rims.

The best advice is usually pick a different tire.

Quoted message said:

I would also like to know if kevlar bead tyres are (in general) easier or harder to fit (or the
same) as steel bead.

In general harder but you really don't know til you try, some kevlar tires are easily installed and
removed with fingers.

Quoted message said:

Is it "common knowledge" that some nominally 700C tyres are really smaller than others?

Yes and substitute "rim" for "tyre" as well. So if you have a rim that's a hair big and a tire
that's a hair small, there you are.

Some tires will also stretch a little and become easier to install.

--Paul

ComutrBob said:

One little tip that might help you force that tire on the rim is to use a little liquid soap on
the bead. Of course, this isn't practical when doing a roadside tire change, but if you're at the
house, it's a good trick.

Bob C.

Yup!

Bob nailed this one. I had trouble mounting Conti 700x20 tires on a set of Spynergy Rev-X wheels.
Untill I ditched the Contis (worthless, imo), I would lube the tire bead with liquid soap. It
enabled the tire to go on easier and reduced 'pinch flats' from my tire levers. Plus, depending on
the soap, it was easier to clen up afterwards as well.

If out in the middle of no-where and you pick up a flat, a small vial of talcum powder
worked well too.

Joe
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My understanding is that folding tires are harder to get onto rims than steel beads. Maybe folding
tires are designed to be less elastic and won't stretch as easily.

One way you could try to get around the mounting problem is to temporarily mount the tire onto a
spare or junk wheel overnight before attempting to fit it onto the riding wheel. I try to maintain
at least one new tire on a junk wheel all the time.

Quoted message said:

"Andrew Webster" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I need help fitting tyres.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I would also like to know if kevlar bead tyres are (in general) easier or harder to fit (or the
same) as steel bead.

"Rob Myhre" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Here's something that helped me with a tough fitting tire. The rim is a concave shape. The
diameter is smaller in the center of the rim than the towards the edges. Make sure that as much of
the bead as possible is near the center of the rim while you're trying to push that last few
inches of bead over the edge.

This is definitely the way to go. Push the bead in as you get to the point where the tyre get tight.
Problem solved.

Thanks for all these suggestions.

I have now managed to get it on tomy satisfaction using a combination of the techniques explained.

Having put dozens of tyres on many bikes over many years it's sobering to realise that you can still
gain useful tips on such a simple operation.

Another hunderd years or so and I'll be an expert!

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Andrew

Webster) said:

I need help fitting tyres.

Most of the time there is absolutely no problem, BUT

I have a rigida Excel 700C rim onto which I just cannot fit a Hutchinson Excel (700Cx25) tyre -
well I can lever it on, but then I lever a hole in the inner tube too.

There is a trick. I learned it here on the NG and it has made my life a lot easier when I'm changing
certain wheel/tire (tire=tyre) combinations.

1. Start as usuall, working the tire on around the wheel.
2. Whe it starts to get tight leave off and go back to the begining leaving the tire partially
installed. .
3. Squeeze the beads together in the center (where the rim usually has a sort of channel).
4. Work the squeeze on up to where you stopped and keep going. You may have to repeat.

You have just generated a small amount of "slack" in the tire, slack that makes a big difference in
getting tires on. It does take a little practice.

Tom Gibb <[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

The best advice is usually pick a different tire.

I have now bought a pair of Conti Ultra tyres - these are a LOT easier to fit on this rim than the
others I have tried (Hutchinson, Michelin), fitting relatively easily without special effort or
tyre levers.

(Even easier to fit taking the advice given 🙂